Electric vehicle set to be the future of mobility in Brunei

SINGAPORE - The Electric vehicle (EV) technology is set to become the future of mobility in the region with Nissan taking the charge.

The automobile company will further promote the use of the EV in Asia as well as the Oceanic region for a cleaner and more sustainable future.

According to a recent study, one in three Southeast Asian consumers planning to buy a car is open to purchasing an EV.

The finding demonstrates the region’s strong potential to speed up the electrification of mobility.

The result of the Nissan-commissioned study by Frost & Sullivan, entitled ‘The Future of Electric Vehicles in Southeast Asia’, was announced by Yutaka Sanada, Regional Senior Vice President of Nissan at the ‘Nissan Futures’ in Singapore last Tuesday.

Nissan Futures is a gathering of industry leaders, government officials and invited media, which included the Bulletin.

The study revealed that 37 per cent of prospective buyers in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines are open to considering an electric vehicle as their next car if tax is waived.

The same number of people also expects that their residence should have a charging station for EV.

Customers in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia emerged as the most enthusiastic about EVs.

With the right incentives, the region can accelerate the adoption of electric and electrified vehicles, the study showed.

Yutaka Sanada explained, "We are at a crossroad. There are many reasons to be optimistic about this region, especially in Southeast Asia where its GDP is at US$2.7 trillion and its population stands at 445 million – meaning that the average income is near to that of China’s."

At the same time, he added, "There are numerous challenges, namely pollution, traffic jams, and climate change. These are some of the trends – the consequences of fast growing economies. To address these challenges, we need to be innovative and have intelligent solutions to create a better future.

"The aim of the Nissan Futures is to address the future of mobility. When we talk about the future, car manufacturers, the media, governments and stakeholders can play their specific roles," Yutaka Sanada said.

He added, "We are pursuing the ‘Nissan intelligent mobility’ to move the people to a better world. Nissan believes in promoting electric vehicles not only as a mean of transportation but as a new type of vehicle where owners help their cities and communities to manage energy effectively."

"Nissan wants to take the leadership role in bringing new mobility technology in electrification and autonomous driving," Yutaka Sanada said.

He pointed out that Nissan has been in the front for bringing EVs to the mass market; the company introduced its first edition of Nissan Leaf in 2010 and sold more than 300,000 worldwide – it is currently the best-selling EV cars.

"Nissan Leaf is the most advanced EV in the world with the widest reach as well as the greatest stability," Yutaka Sanada said.

He said positive customers’ response on the second edition of the Nissan Leaf launched four months ago is very strong in Japan, Europe and the US.

The Regional Senior Vice President said the new Nissan Leaf is 100 per cent electric, featuring a suite of advanced technologies showcasing Nissan ingenuity, and will go on sale in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand during the coming fiscal year.

This will be followed by Philippines and Indonesia, he said, adding that the company needs cooperation from the public and a private sector as well as stakeholders to successfully promote the EV technology.